Crime and Disorder Act: Fire Authorities

Lord Howie of Troon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which statutory duties devolve to fire authorities as a result of the application of Sections 5, 6, 7 and 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in respect of the prevention of crime and creation of crime and disorder strategies; and whether any guidance on these matters had been issued by the Home Office prior to 11 June.

Lord Rooker: The Act places a duty on police and local authorities jointly to establish crime and disorder reduction partnerships in their areas and to develop and implement a strategy to deal with local problems. The Act requires these authorities to consult and seek the participation of other public, private and voluntary groups and the local community. There is no devolved statutory duty to fire authorities but the partnership is required to consult chief fire officers in the strategy-setting process.
	Guidance was issued to partnerships by the Home Office when the Act came into force. This promoted the active involvement of the fire service and other agencies in the work of partnerships. A copy has been placed in the Library.

Immigration Policy: Roma

Lord Judd: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they have taken to ensure that there is no discrimination against Roma people in the administration of their immigration policy within the United Kingdom and abroad.

Lord Rooker: The Race Relations (Immigration and Asylum) (No 2) Authorisation 2001 authorises discrimination, where necessary, in the examination of passengers belonging to certain ethnic or national groups, including Roma, and in decisions whether to give or refuse persons leave to enter before they arrive in the United Kingdom. The decision on a person's entitlement to enter the United Kingdom, and other decisions affecting people of Roma origin, continue to be taken on the merits of the case in accordance with the Immigration Rules.
	The authorisation is reviewed on a monthly basis by Ministers. The Race Monitor, to be appointed under Section 19E of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 1976 (as amended), will report to Parliament via the Secretary of State on the likely effect of the authorisation and on how it is operated in practice by officials.
	The pre-clearance operation at Prague airport operates on a non-discriminatory basis--all applications are considered under the provisions of the Immigration Rules and on their individual merits--and is not subject to the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act.

Criminal Justice System Cabinet Committee

Lord Windlesham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the terms of reference, functions and membership of the ministerial committee set up by the Prime Minister shortly after the general election in June to oversee the modernisation of the criminal justice system and to improve its performance.

Lord Rooker: The Cabinet Committee on the Criminal Justice System has been constituted by the Prime Minister to oversee delivery of the Government's policies for the management and reform of the criminal justice system.
	Members of the commitee are:
	Home Secretary--Chair
	Lord Chancellor
	Attorney-General
	Solicitor-General
	Chief Secretary
	Minister without Portfolio
	Minister of the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
	Minister of State, Home Office
	Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department

Blundeston Prison and Hollesley Bay YOI: Possible Evacuation

Lord Hill-Norton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 26 April (WA 240), whether the examination of the governor's journal at Blundeston prison revealed any details of an alert during 25 to 30 December 1980; and whether in this period there was any mention of RAF Bentwaters, RAF Woodbridge or Rendlesham Forest.

Lord Rooker: The governor's journal revealed no such details and there was no mention of RAF Bentwaters, RAF Woodbridge or Rendlesham Forest.

Blundeston Prison and Hollesley Bay YOI: Possible Evacuation

Lord Hill-Norton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the absence of the governor's journals covering the period 25 to 30 December 1980 in respect of Hollesley and Highpoint prisons; and whether, in the absence of these records, they will consult the then governors about any alert or warning to evacuate during that period.

Lord Rooker: The governor's journal is a record of day-to-day events, and the absence of journals so long after the event is not a cause for concern. The governors of Hollesley Bay and Highpoint prisons in December 1980 are no longer in the service and I am not persuaded that the effort required to trace them is justified.

GDP: Effect of Foot and Mouth Disease

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will estimate the impact on United Kingdom gross domestic product during 2001 of the current foot and mouth epidemic.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government fully recognise the hardship that has been caused to agriculture and other rural industries as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak. Any impact on annual aggregate GDP growth is likely to be modest relative to normal fluctuations. Updated economic forecasts will be published in the Pre-Budget Report.

Euro Membership and the UK Economy

Lord Newby: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they will make the decision to begin their assessment of whether the United Kingdom economy meets their tests for successful membership of the euro.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government have said that they will complete another assessment of the five tests within two years of the start of this Parliament.

Working Families' Tax Credit: Service Families

The Earl of Shrewsbury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether those service families working abroad who are not entitled to working families' tax credit but are paid a similar allowance through income from the Ministry of Defence are taxed at United Kingdom tax rates on that extra pay.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: No. Any such allowance is treated in the same way as working families' tax credit for tax purposes.

Autism and Thiomersal in Vaccines

Lord Colwyn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they regard the United States Government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's research into the possible relationship between autism and the presence of mercury in thiomersal as definitive, or whether they consider that further studies should be undertaken.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The United States Centers for Disease Control have conducted two studies, as yet preliminary and unpublished, which have not demonstrated any association between autism and thiomersal in vaccines (the amount of thiomersal in vaccines in the United Kingdom childhood immunisation programme is considerably less than that used in the United States programme).
	The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the Department of Health's statutory independent advisory committee, has reviewed the available evidence and has concluded that the present evidence does not support a link between thiomersal vaccines and autism.
	The Public Health Laboratory Service has been asked by the World Health Organisation to set up a study to look into the relationship between thiomersal and possible neurological outcomes using United Kingdom data.

Air Pollution Research

Lord Lewis of Newnham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they accept the case for further research on air pollution and health; and, in the light of the expectation expressed by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (WA 64, 9 July) that "research proposals will be published later this year", what funding will be made available for such research and over what time-scale.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: A call for research proposals will be advertised in the scientific press before the end of this year.
	This call will invite expressions of interest for a programme of research covering a range of air pollution topics. Funding will be made available for a number of short-term projects which will last around a year, as well as larger projects that will last up to three years.
	The total amount of funding for both the short-term and long-term projects will be approximately £1 million.

State Registered Chiropodists

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps were taken to ensure that state registered chiropodists were properly represented at the meeting of state registered and non-state registered chiropodists hosted by the Department of Health on 3 September; and whether at that meeting the issue of minimum standards was discussed.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: This meeting was convened by representatives of practitioners who sought to ensure that all relevant interests were appropriately represented. We understand that a range of issues, including professional standards, was discussed.

Disabled People: Equality of Opportunity

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to amend the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to provide for the imposition of a positive duty on specified public authorities to promote the equal treatment of the disabled, similar to the duty provided for in Section 71(1) of the Race Relations Act 1976.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: We are committed to introducing a duty on public bodies to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people when parliamentary time allows.

Flag Flying: English and Scottish Heritage Buildings

Lord Inglewood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the rules relating to the flying of flags on buildings managed by English and Scottish Heritage; and whether those buildings in England can fly the St George's Cross in the way that those in Scotland fly the St Andrew's Saltire.

Baroness Blackstone: In England there are currently 21 appointed days each year when it is required, by command of Her Majesty the Queen, that government buildings fly the Union Flag. The St George's Cross may be flown in conjunction with the Union flag on 23 April each year. English Heritage sites fall outside the definition of government buildings and they can fly flags whenever they wish. However, they choose to follow the government rules on flag flying and fly flags on the appointed days.
	In Scotland the Scottish Executive issues a list of flag flying days that closely mirror the English guidelines. These rules apply to buildings of the Scottish Executive and its agencies. Historic Scotland choose to follow the Scottish Executive guidelines but with a special dispensation to fly both its own house flag and the Saltire on other days.

Sex Equality

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they propose to amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 to provide for the imposition of a positive duty on specified public authorities to promote sex equality, similar to the duty provided for in Section 71(1) of the Race Relations Act 1976.

Baroness Morgan of Huyton: We are committed to introducing a duty on public bodies to promote sex equality when parliamentary time allows.

Age, Religion and Sexual Orientation Equality: Ministerial Responsibilities

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Morgan of Huyton on 24 July, where in the list of ministerial responsibilities is responsibility allocated for equality policy on age discrimination (other than for pensioners), religious discrimination and sexual orientation discrimination.

Baroness Morgan of Huyton: I am responsible for co-ordination on the Article 13 Employment Directive and its implementation with respect to age, religion and sexual orientation, reporting to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. I am also responsible for wider policy on sexual orientation discrimination. Policy on age, except for the Article 13 Employment Directive, is with the Department for Work and Pensions (Ian McCartney) and policy on religion, except for the Article 13 Employment Directive, is with the Home Office (Angela Eagle).